May 8, Pozirk. United States politicians initiated the process on May 7 to review and adopt an updated Belarus Democracy Act, opposition politician Anatol Labiedźka said in a video address on Parlamenskiy Kanal.
The news comes after Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s meetings with members of US Congress in Washington.
The Belarusian opposition leader met with Representatives Christopher Smith, Joe Wilson, Mario Diaz-Balart, Chuck Edwards and Senators Dan Sullivan, Rick Scott, Jeanne Shaheen, Dick Durbin and Roger Wicker, her team said on Telegram.
The meeting participants agreed to initiate hearings on Belarus and document reprisals against faithful in the Congress records.
At her meeting with Chris W. Smith of the US Department of State, the Belarusian politician suggested that Washington appoint a special envoy for Belarus to work toward the release of political prisoners and political crisis settlement.
Cichanoŭskaja’s week-long visit to the United States, which concluded on May 7, also featured briefings with national security advisers and Republican Party officials.
Belarus Democracy Act was adopted in 2004 and updated in 2006, 2011 and 2020 to demonstrate consistent US support for an independent, sovereign and democratic Belarus.
It gave the United States more opportunities to sanction the Alaksandar Łukašenka regime and help Belarus’ civil society, independent media, women and political refugees. It denied Łukašenka legitimacy and envisaged coordination between the USA and other countries on Belarus.
